A Story of New Beginnings
by Swanfire Escapades
Summary: A story of an 18-year-old Emma that never went to jail and ended up attempting to parent Henry. She starts in Tallahassee, but it's time to move on. Where will she end up? Maybe a little-known town in Maine? Read to find out! Possible ships later on, but for now just Emma and Henry trying to survive. Snowing family eventually.


**Author note: Hi there! So this is my first time writing for OUaT and I would appreciate any advice/reviews after you read this. I plan on doing a multi-chapter story depending on how people like this so let me know!**

**Disclaimer: Obviously I don't own anything.**

Emma looked around the run down apartment one last time. Sure, it was a crap apartment. The hole in the living room wall and multiple stains on the floors along with the surrounding neighborhood made sure she never forgot that. But this was also where Henry lived for the first year of his life: where he started crawling and taking his first unsteady steps. She would be lying to herself if she said this apartment held no value. No, this apartment was precious in its own way. She would miss it.

But alas, Tallahassee was supposed to be for her AND Neal. It would be almost two years ago, a year and nine months to be exact, since he said he'd be right back while leaving the car at a restroom stop. After 20 minutes she became concerned and went looking for him, only to find a note on a piece of paper to the men's restroom door. In his messy scrawl it read: _I'm sorry Emma, but we have to end this. I know you won't understand, but I love you._

Loved her, her ass. She had spent months analyzing that letter, but in the end she knew it was just as it had always been, he deserted her. Little to both of their knowledge at the time, he had deserted her pregnant and with nothing but the clothes on her back and the car they both stole. After living in the car for two months, she stole a pregnancy test, only to have it confirm her fears. Neal, unfortunately, had not abandoned her alone.

After that test, she pulled herself together. She moved to Tallahassee just in case it was a mistake, and Neal was waiting for her there. She doubted it though. She found a job as a waitress and managed to scrape by while she was still expecting. She decided to keep the baby due to the uncertainties that the foster system or adoptive parents entailed. She wanted to trust that there were people out there that could take better care of this kid, but she had no way of knowing which were the bad or good parents. So she would do the best job she could do instead, knowing very well it couldn't be worst than her childhood.

When Henry came, she was terrified. But she was a fighter. She always had been. So she would fight through this as well. Even when fighting meant putting Henry in daycare and taking on a second waitressing job. When the daycare closed, she brought Henry into work with her, much to her manager's dismay. But one smile from Henry and her manager wasn't able to say no. Henry always did have that effect on people. She may not have been able to spend that much time with her son, but she was going to provide for him no matter what. Something she never had growing up.

When one of the restaurants she worked at closed for good she decided it was time to move on. Neal obviously wasn't around or at least didn't want to be found, otherwise they would have found each other by now. There was nothing left for her there except for her crushed dreams of love and trust.

The landlord cleared his throat, reminding her he was there. "Right," she said, shaking her head as if to wake herself from her daydream. "Here," she handed over the keys and scooped up Henry's car seat, and in true Emma fashion, went straight out the door without looking back.

She situated Henry in the back seat. She pulled out a map from the glove compartment and then climbed into the back with Henry, holding the map in front of him. He looked up at the map gurgling and smiling, obviously entertained by the colors. Oh, what she would give to be so easily entertained like him. But no, that was stripped away long ago.

"So kid, where do you wanna go?" she asked, knowing very well he wasn't going to be able to give her a verbal response. She indicated for him to point, but then stopped due to the painful déjà vu of her pointing at Tallahassee that summer day in Phoenix. Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, she reminded herself that part of her life is now over. As of today, she officially was leaving it behind.

Opening her eyes, she sees Henry intently staring at the map, as if he was actually contemplating her question. Slowly, his hand rises up and his pointer finger lands on the map. Emma looks at his very determined face, one that looked like it belonged to one far older that her little one-year-old son. She closed her eyes once again, realizing she recognized that face very well. She remembered it being on a very determined Neal Cassidy long ago. Or at least, it seemed long ago. So maybe that part of her life will never be completely over, but she was leaving the main problem behind.

After a few breaths she heard babbling coming from Henry. Opening her eyes once again she realized he was still pointing at the map, his face and tone telling her she needed to pay attention. She looked up at the map finally and focused her eyes on where he was pointing. She took the map and put it away before looking at her son who smiled up at her. She smiled back.

"Fine kid, Maine it is." And she got in the front seat and began to drive.


End file.
